US claims that Syria may be preparing chemical attack aimed against Russia — diplomat

MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. Washington’s claims that Damascus is preparing a chemical attack are aimed both against Syria’s authorities and Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"The current situation reminds in fact of a large-scale military and information provocation that is aimed not only against Syrian authorities but also against Russia," Zakharova said.

These accusations and threats sound "in an absolutely cynical way amid the blatantly illegal steps" of the US-led anti-IS coalition against a sovereign Syria such as a missile strike on the Shayrat airbase on April 7, the bombing of government forces in Deir ez-Zor and near At Tanf, and the destruction of a Syrian bomber, she said. "We should add here the facts of mass deaths of Syrian citizens from bombings and shellings by the coalition forces in Raqqa and other cities."

The US-led coalition’s strikes against the Islamic State terrorist group (outlawed in Russia) killed nearly 500 people, who were not linked to terrorists, during the Ramadan month of fasting observed by Muslims, she noted, referring to the AFP report.